Bible Strands
Isaiah 36:13
Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out loudly in Hebrew: “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Rabshakeh stands before the walls of Jerusalem and addresses the Judean defenders alongside King Hezekiah. He speaks at the moment of siege to publicly demand surrender on behalf of the Assyrian monarch.
The words — The Hebrew compound רַב־שָׁקֵה (rav-shaqeh) literally means "chief cupbearer" or "chief commander," marking his elevated status. His proclamation בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל (be-kol gadol) translates to "with a great voice," indicating the deliberate volume meant for public consumption.
The thread — This exact scene is recorded in 2 Kings 18:28 and 2 Chronicles 32:18, where the same official uses loud Hebrew speeches to intimidate the besieged population. The structural parallel of a single figure shouting to assembled ranks also appears in 1 Samuel 17:8 with Goliath.
Why it lands — The text records a calculated psychological attack designed to fracture morale and discredit Hezekiah's leadership. Readers must confront how public rhetoric is deployed to replace trust in divine protection with fear of earthly power.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 32:18 Then the Assyrians called out loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them in order to capture the city.
- 1 Samuel 17:8 And Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and array yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me.
- 2 Kings 18:28 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out loudly in Hebrew: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria!
- Psalms 17:10 They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance.
- Psalms 73:8 They mock and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
- Psalms 82:6 I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’
- Isaiah 8:7 the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
- Isaiah 10:8 “Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.
- Isaiah 36:4 The Rabshakeh said to them, “Tell Hezekiah that this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is the basis of this confidence of yours?
- Ezekiel 31:3 Look at Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches that shaded the forest. It towered on high; its top was among the clouds.